Decolonial Agents in La Coyuntura — Narrated Roles of Independent Media Journalists in Bolivia and Peru

Abstract

We examine the interplay between independent media journalists’ perceptions of environmental issues, their views on mainstream and independent media organizations, and the practice of decolonial journalism as reflected in their narrated roles. Based on interviews with 18 journalists from twelve independent news outlets in Bolivia and Peru, our findings suggest that decolonial journalism is being practiced within independent media, offering a fitting approach amid the region’s complex coyuntura. Journalists describe their work as counter-hegemonic, embracing a social role, subjectivity, the amplification of Indigenous voices, and a commitment to social justice. These tenets position them as decolonizing agents.